# US 2014/0190111 A1 · Confinement structures > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0190111 A1 - Document ID: US20140190111A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/233,993 - Filed: 2012-07-20 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2011-07-21 - Assignees: Fiberweb Holdings Limited - Inventors: Basil Thomas; William Walmsley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140190111A1 ## CPC - E02D 29/0208: {Gabions} - E02D 29/0241: {the retention means being reinforced earth elements} - E04C 1/00: Building elements of block or other shape for the construction of parts of buildings (of relatively thin form E04C2/00; structural elongated elements designed for load-supporting E04C3/00, e.g. columns or pillars E04C3/30; manufacture or material of building bricks, stones, or the like B28, C03, C04; paving elements E01C; general building constructions E04B, e.g. walls E04B2/00, floors E04B5/00, roofs E04B7/00, ceilings E04B9/00; {roof coverings E04D; coverings for walls or ceilings E04F13/00; floorings E04F15/00;} structural elements specially designed for built-in conduit shafts E04F17/00; {elements for buildings for particular purposes E04H7/00}; special elements for building ovens or furnaces F24B, F27D) - E02D: FOUNDATIONS; EXCAVATIONS; EMBANKMENTS (specially adapted for hydraulic engineering E02B); UNDERGROUND OR UNDERWATER STRUCTURES {(tunnels, tunnelling, mining E21)} - E04C: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS; BUILDING MATERIALS (for bridges E01D; specially designed for insulation or other protection E04B; elements used as building aids E04G; for mining E21; for tunnels E21D; structural elements with broader range of application than for building engineering F16, particularly F16S) ## Abstract A confinement structure comprises one or more open cells (70) for confinement, in use, of particulate fill materials such as soil, sand or aggregate. The cells (70) comprise walls (72) formed of a composite material comprising a polymeric grid layer laminated to a fabric layer. The walls (72) may be formed from a strip of the composite material comprising one or more living hinges. The cells (70) may be provided with skirt portions (74) that extend from at least some of the walls (72). ## Claims ### Claim 1 A confinement structure comprising one or more open cells for confinement, in use, of particulate fill materials such as soil, sand or aggregate, each one of the one or more open cells comprising one or more walls, the one or more walls including an external wall and an internal wall, the external wall comprising a composite material having a polymeric grid layer laminated to a fabric layer. ### Claim at position 2 2-3. (canceled) ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The confinement structure of claim 1, wherein the internal wall comprises a fabric material. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The confinement structure of claim 1, wherein the internal wall is not as high as the external wall. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The confinement structure of claim 1, wherein the fabric layer is at least one of a nonwoven material and a geotextile. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The confinement structure claim 1, wherein the composite material comprises a further fabric layer laminated to a side of the polymeric grid layer opposite to a side of the polymeric grid layer laminated to the fabric layer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The confinement structure claim 1, wherein the fabric layer is thermally bonded to the polymeric grid layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The confinement structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more open cells are formed from separate wall panels. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The confinement structure of claim 9, wherein the wall panels are pivotally interconnected at one or more corners of the one or more open cells. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The confinement structure as claimed in claim 9, wherein the wall panels are pivotally connected using a mechanical hinge comprising a hinged piece of flexible fabric material. ### Claim 12 (canceled) ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The confinement structure of claim 11, wherein the hinged piece of flexible fabric material is arranged to overlap the outside of the polymeric grid layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The confinement structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more walls are formed from a strip of the composite material. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The confinement structure of claim 1, wherein the strip of composite material comprises one or more integral hinges. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The confinement structure of claim 14, wherein the one or more integral hinges comprise living hinges formed in the strip of composite material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The confinement structure of claim 1, wherein the one or more open cells are provided with one or more skirt portions extending from at least one of the one or more walls. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The confinement structure of claim 17, wherein the one or more skirt portions are formed by a separate piece of material fastened to the composite material. ### Claim 19 (canceled) ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The confinement structure of claim 17, wherein the one or more skirt portions are integrally formed by any one of the composite material and the fabric layer. ### Claim at position 20 21-31. (canceled) ### Claim 32 A method of manufacturing an open cell for a confinement structure for particulate fill materials, the method comprising: providing a strip of material comprising a polymeric component; applying pressure along one or more lines between side edges of the strip of material to form one or more living hinges in the polymeric component; folding the strip at the one or more living hinges to align end edges of the strip; and connecting the end edges of the strip to form a cell. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32, further comprising joining a plurality of the cells side-by-side such that the end edges of a strip forming a respective cell are fixedly connected by the facing wall of an adjacent cell. ### Claim at position 23 34-35. (canceled) ### Claim 36 A confinement structure comprising a plurality of interconnected open cells, each of the plurality of interconnected open cells comprising one or more walls including a composite material having a polymeric grid layer laminated to a fabric layer. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The confinement structure of claim 36, wherein the one or more walls comprises an external wall and an internal wall, the external wall comprising the composite material.